Listening to stories has become, for many Italians, a daily habit. Whether it’s during a trip, in the home-work journey or while reordering the house, audiobooks are transforming our way of “reading”. In 2025 there are 11.4 million people who choose to live books with headphones in the ears, 300 thousand more than the previous year. A continuously growing trend, which tells a new form of use of narrative content, more flexible and suitable for the rhythms of modern life.
The digitization, the spread of smartphones and dedicated platforms have made audiobooks accessible to a large and varied audience, enriching the experience with professional narrative voices and interactive versions. But what are the best app to listen to audiobooks?
Altroconsumo He analyzed the best known, selecting a squad of proposals that offer different solutions for each type of listener.
The recommended apps
This is the selection of experts of Altroconsumo:
Which app to choose?
The choice depends a lot on the type of use and personal preferences. Those who love bestsellers and want to stay updated on the latest news will find two very valid options in Audible and Storytel.
For families and children, Rai Play Sound is an interesting choice thanks to the free and content suitable for all ages. Those who prefer to buy only a few titles without subscription could orient themselves towards Google Play Books or Kobo Books. Finally, Spotify represents a more limited choice in Italy, but it could become more interesting in the future.
How the investigation was conducted
The ranking of Altroconsumo It is based on an investigation conducted between 1,000 users belonging to the Acmakers Community, of which 909 use apps for audiobooks, mainly on smartphones. Users’ preferences were collected on various fundamental aspects:
It emerged that the quality of the narrative is a decisive factor, with many users who have abandoned listening to because of unpleasant or artificial voices. Although the item generated by artificial intelligence is growing technology, it is not yet appreciated by the majority of listeners.
The investigation also found that the daily use of audiobooks is still limited (only 90 users listen to them every day), but the majority uses them at least once a week, often in the evening, as if it were a traditional book before sleeping.
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